Designs For Health Research & Education Blog

In spite of many years spent in the natural health care industry, I continue to marvel at the breadth and depth of the many wonderful potent, beneficial and therapeutically relevant substances nature provides us with. As science and research moves forward, the great variety of plants, herbs, roots and food that have been discovered to contain powerful plant chemicals is truly astounding.

Astaxanthin, a compound found in plants such as algae and animals such as salmon and krill, a ocean dwelling crustacean similar to shrimp, is one of those compounds. In fact, it has been shown to be such a flexible and multi-faceted health “food” that I have personally made its supplementation a part of my daily routine.

Astaxanthin is a member of a group of plant pigments called carotenoids and is therefore related to such compounds as beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene and vitamin A. These pigments are highly antioxidative and some of them are functionally important in vision and eye health. Many, however, are imbued with specific and idiosyncratic properties that make them clinically important on an individual basis.

Suffering from Cancer Related Fatigue? Chemo Brain? Decrease your Cancer Fatigue by taking control of inflammation. High inflammation equals promotion of Cancer Fatigue, cancer growth and cancer recurrence. Research shows that many herbal medicines can lower pro-inflammatory factors fueling this common side effect of hormone therapy. Below are six herbs that may transform exhaustion into vitality.

One of many reasons we "feel sick" and experience fatigue is due to elevated levels of pro-inflammatory factors. By lowering the levels of these damaging factors we can transform fatigue into well being, enhance vitality and quality of life and mitigate inflammation related pain.

Inflammation is a fact of cancer and contributes to one of the most common complaints of cancer patients and cancer survivors, Cancer Related Fatigue, a distressing and persistent sense of physical and emotional tiredness as well as reduced mental clarity and alertness. Cancer survivors complain of inability to focus and concentrate, poor memory, inability to think clearly as well as sadness and depression, symptoms of Chemo Brain.

Cancer Fatigue is a common side effect experienced by breast cancer patients undergoing hormone therapy.

We all know that without some combination of fuel, oxygen and water all life as we know it would cease to exist. And without some type of organized power plant that takes these raw materials and turns them into a usable form of energy to help sustain, support and animate complex life forms, again most life on the planet would go poof. The cells that make up our body rely on the cellular organelle called the mitochondria for their energy production. In humans, mitochondria are found in every cell except the blood cell and exist in high concentrations in those cells that require high energy production and energy demands such as heart and muscle cells. Though the primary responsibility of mitochondria is to produce energy, they also play an important role in other functions including:

What drives the spread of Breast Cancer?

Recent studies from the University of California, San Diego, published in the British Journal, NATURE, have discovered a molecule called RANKL, found in aggressive breast cancer cells that predicts more deadly, lethal and life threatening disease. The findings from these recent studies suggests that drugs that block RANKL may be effective in preventing both the early stages of breast cancer and the advanced progression of the disease. Research has also shown that Curcumin, the active ingredient in the common spice, Turmeric, has properties that also reduce the expression of these deadly molecules within cancer cells and can potentially slow the spread of breast cancer.

Wednesday, May 2, 9pm ET on Clinical Rounds:

Featuring: Dana Churchill, NMD

While most lay people may not realize that licorice is more than a treat you eat in a movie theater, how many of us in the health care world recognize the broad variety of clinical properties this amazing root possesses?

Licorice is a plant that grows in southern Europe, Asia, and the Mediterranean, the dried roots of which are used in herbal remedies and traditionally plays a primary role in Chinese herbalism. Hundreds of potentially healing substances have been identified in licorice, including the herb's key therapeutic compound, glycyrrhizin. These compounds exert numerous beneficial effects on the body, making licorice a valuable herb for helping to treat a host of ailments.

Cordyceps sinensis (CS), a traditional Chinese Medicine is a fungus that has been historically used for over 2,000 years throughout China and Asia as part of treatment for a variety of conditions including many cancers. In modern times the effects of Cordyceps on immune modulation and its use in concert with modern chemotherapy agents, both to enhance therapeutic benefit and to manage side effects have been widely studied. Cordycepin, one of the active constituents, has been shown to possess many pharmacological activities including immunological stimulation, and anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-oxidant anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects. It may be of benefit to support cancer patients and cancer survivors.

Tonight, April 25th, 9pm ET on Clinical Rounds:

Featuring: Thomas C. Petrie, CDN

Key discussions points will include:

• Why did I write this book?
• Examples of negative vitamin articles addressed in my book
• Why are these articles wrong?
• Why on occasion facts appear to be accurate, but are in reality are highly misleading
• Why the mainstream media and modern medicine are inclined to bash vitamins

The DFH Teleconference Call-in Number is (404) 920-6664, and the pin number is still 77077# (please remember to hit the # key after entering the pin). For more information, please call Designs for Health at (800) 847-8302. You can also visit our web site at designsforhealth.com for additional details.

ALL calls will occur at 9 PM eastern time.

As with many health conditions, illnesses and disease processes, it may be naïve to think that obesity is simply a product of excessive energy intake. Because the central nervous system is intimately involved in the processing of hunger signals and controlling food intake, is it possible, for instance, that a cause of weight gain and obesity might be in the brain?

In a series of experiments using various brain imaging techniques researchers were able to observe various aspects of brain activity and physiology surrounding food behavior, processing and hormone and neurotransmitter relationships.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has been mined, processed and incorporated into commercial products for more than 100 years. Its value to manufacturers lies in its ability to insulate and fireproof materials at a cheap cost.

The first case of mesothelioma to have a definitive link to asbestos was noted in 1964. As recently as 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer reconfirmed that all forms of asbestos can cause mesothelioma.

How Does Exposure Occur?

Asbestos exposure typically occurs after damaging asbestos-containing materials on the job. This is most common in the construction industry where workers are constantly repairing or removing old materials from homes and buildings.